“As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.” (Proverbs 27:9)
To know what we look like we must see our reflection – on a glass surface; in a mirror; or looking back at us in a pool of water. “Oh! So that’s what others see. That means I’m pretty (or pretty ugly!)”
Solomon uses this analogy to address the deeper issue of how to know who we really are. Not our outward man, but our “inner man,” our heart, reflects what kind of person we are. Even when we don’t speak out of the abundance of our heart, what is in our heart IS who we are. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he …” (Prov. 23:7).
Are we harboring strife and bitter envy? Is hatred and animosity; malice or evil of any kind lurking within us? Are we allowing hurts and offenses to fester and defile us? Are we justifying any wrong action or attitude?
It doesn’t matter how pretty our face is if we’ve let our heart go to pot. We are called to keep our heart with all diligence. But even before that we are called to receive a heart transplant through the gift of salvation. The Lord takes away our old stony heart that was bent on doing whatever it felt like, and He gives us a new, sensitive, heart of flesh, that is willing to do whatever He wants us to do.
It’s hard to see ourselves the way others do. We need a mirror. Eventually, what’s inside of us comes out and reflects who we are. Let the supernatural grace of God create in you a beautiful heart for all to see. You’ll feel good, even if God’s your only admirer.